Who would ya'll consider the single greatest football player ever? I'm not talking about the best at his respective position, but the best player ever, out of everyone at every position.

To me it's all about who just simply got the job done day in and day out over a long period of time. It has nothing to do with who was the best athlete or the most physically dominating (though often times those traits go hand in hand with a great player).

To me there's only one obvious choice and that's Jerry Rice. He simply was on a different plain than anyone else who ever played the game. He wasn't the biggest or the fastest but his production was simply astonishing, he was just a football player. No one else in history has had anywhere near his production on the field. I know impact can't always be measured in stats, but great players produce and nobody did it better for longer than Rice.

I'm sure some people will argue a case for Jim Brown, and rightfully so, but for me he walked away from the game too early to be in the same category as Rice, same with Barry Sanders (who is my personal #1 RB). What could have been, is much different than what actually was and we'll never truly know what these guys would have accomplished had they not walked away from the game in their primes.

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Originally Posted by njx9

i invite all of you to spam the board with moronic topics that aren't even vaguely entertaining. please.

Who would ya'll consider the single greatest football player ever? I'm not talking about the best at his respective position, but the best player ever, out of everyone at every position.

To me it's all about who just simply got the job done day in and day out over a long period of time. It has nothing to do with who was the best athlete or the most physically dominating (though often times those traits go hand in hand with a great player).

To me there's only one obvious choice and that's Jerry Rice. He simply was on a different plain than anyone else who ever played the game. He wasn't the biggest or the fastest but his production was simply astonishing, he was just a football player. No one else in history has had anywhere near his production on the field. I know impact can't always be measured in stats, but great players produce and nobody did it better for longer than Rice.

I'm sure some people will argue a case for Jim Brown, and rightfully so, but for me he walked away from the game too early to be in the same category as Rice, same with Barry Sanders (who is my personal #1 RB). What could have been, is much different than what actually was and we'll never truly know what these guys would have accomplished had they not walked away from the game in their primes.

Dude, end this. It is impossible in football to come to a solution considering the massive changes from era to era.

If you were to go with what could have been, i think Gale Sayers would have been the best football player ever, but overall i will probably have to go, taking into account positions, Johny Unitas, although i might be forgeting someone

All time players I've seen in my lifetime...
Offense - Jerry Rice / Barry Sanders / Brett Favre
Rice was the personification of effort and preperation.
Sanders individual skill is beyond comparisson and
Favre , when he's done will be a top 3 QB of all time.

Im gonna play devil's advocate here and try to say some negatives about Rice.

While he was in my mind the undisputed best WR ever, he was also an extremely fortunate WR his entire career.

He played in the WCO his whole career, which gives him the oppurtunity at more catches and YAC compared to other systems.

He's had great quarterbacks throw him the ball everywhere he went.

He was properly utilized since day one.

Not all great WRs can say the same thing. Would Rice be Rice if he was in Air Coryell his whole career?

Would he be the same player if he had Trent Dilfer throwing him the ball?

So while he was a great talent, let's not forget, that he was also a very fortunate player to have been in the right situation since the day he stepped on the field.

That's why Keyshawn Johnson is so good, but nobody gives him any credit. For his whole Career he has had stinky QBs yet he has been successful. I know this is off topic, but I just wanted to mention that.